In Perspective
One Step At A Remembrance Day
Time
by MONICA PARHAM
Staff Writer
Martin Luther King, Jr. stressed that
a positive change can result from non
violent protest and the collective call of
the people For change. For years blacks
and other concerned students have been
using nonviolent means to etfect change
al the University of North Carc)liiia.
Recently there have been encouraging
signs that UNC is becoming more re
sponsive to the needs and interests ol the
black community, and indeed a concern
ed community at large.
In her spccch t>n November 17.
Coretta Scott King stressed that total
divestment from South Africa should be
a top priority for universities and corpora-
tu)ns. After a long and sometimes bitter
struggle, earlier this year the University
agreed to divest. A major factor behind
this decisii)n was the etlectiveness ol
student-led. nonviolent protest. Students
were seen protesting at high-profile events
such as the inauguration ot UNC Presi
dent C.I). Spangler. The protesters
received e\ cn wider coverage when they
chained themselves to radiators inside
South Building. While some people may
c|uestit)n thesvT tactics, there is no di>ubt
that they had a strong effect on the actions
of the Board of Trustees. Coupled with
other nonviolent protests, such as a Black
Student Movement march to South
Building and student and laculty petitions,
plus many other less visible actions, the
desired goal of divestment was achieved.
Another positive change brought
about by student activism was the crea
tion of the Black Cultural Center, or BCC.
There had been calls for a Black Cultural
Center for several years, but recently the
issue had become dormant. With the
revitalization of the BSM, the issue once
again came to the forefront. Editorials
were written to the Daily Tar Heel and
other publications. Students began wear
ing BCC buttons to show their support.
The Administration, seeing that students
were truly interested, took the necessary
steps, and in October the BCC was
opened.
While we have come a long way at
UNC, there is still a long way to go.
Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil
rights leaders always stressed the maxim
that "God helps those who help
themselves." In keeping with this max
im and Dr. King's dream, blacks must get
more invt)lved and more in control ot their
own destinies. If you are concerned about
some of the problems facing blacks at
UNC. join the Prejudice Reduction Com
mittee or the Minority Concerns Commit
tee. Become active in the Black Student
Movement or Black Women United. To
protect future UNC students, become a
minority recruiter, tutor for Upward
Bound, or become a Big Buddy. Extend
your concerns globally and join the Cam
pus Y. As long as we just sit back and
complain, nothing is going to change.
Show UNC and the world that you are
concerned, and keep Dr. King's dream
alive.
by DIANA LOWERY
Associate Editor
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday is
an important landmark in black history.
It establishes for us a day on which we
can celebrate the accomplishments of one
who can be termed a ‘'Great" man.
Just as many others, including
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s wife, are now
trying to bring about total peace and
equality, we should also try on this day
to acct)mplish the same. We as blacks t>n
this campus should forget apathetic
tendencies and for once stand up and be
counted.
It is for us young black students, as
Mrs. Coretta Scotl King said in her speech
in Memorial Hall November 20. to carry
and become the leaders of the future.
This is to be done with total unity, upon
which anything can be accomplished.
The main contention among black
leaders tiiday is civil rights, which some
people on this campus seem to take as a
joking matter. When protestors march for
civil rights, is that funny'.' Martin Luther
King. Jr. stressed nonviolent demonstra-
tit)n to accomplish peaceful reform. Why
should this then be considered humorous?
On a certain day during Human
Rights Week (November 15-20) marchers
were parading through the yard chanting
Ibr human rights and as they passed the
wall in front of the Undergrad, they were
laughed at by fellow blacks. I consider
those laughing blacks as simple minds
w ith little understanding of what the issue
of human rights involves. For those peo
ple who seemed not to understand, rights
for blacks are also included in the tight.
I just wanted to clear up that
misconception.
To end this tirade. I would like to say
that as always, and as Soul Train's Don
Cornelius says. "T leave you peace, love
and soul."
Join tlie Biacic
inic Staff!
Anyone interested in writing or being a
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semester should contact the editor, Sherry
Whitesides, at 933-0458. Interested persons do not
have to be journalism majors.